Butter Cookies

GETTING READY
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
2. Onto a wax paper or into a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

MAKING
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar
4. Use an electric beater or a wire whisk to cream the mixture until soft and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well until blended into the creamed mixture.
6. Stir in vanilla or almond extract
7. Add flour mixture, in batches, and bind into a stiff dough. .
8. Divide dough into two balls and cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chill and stiff about 20 minutes
9. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out one ball of dough into a sheet of 1/8 inch thickness.
10. Use various cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes.
11. Arrange cookies on baking sheets keeping 1 inch space between each
12. Bake cookies for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden and firm.
13. Remove from oven, loosen cookies with spatula and slide onto a wire rack to cool. Repeat rolling, cutting and baking cookies with second ball of dough if you want.
14. Store cooled cookies in an wax paper lined air tight container.

SERVING
15. Dust the cookies with power sugar or glaze with melted chocolate or preserves if you like or serve them plain with tea or coffee or a glass of warm milk.